WRI Council - 21-27 June in France

Get ready for Council! Council starts on the evening of Saturday, 21 June, and finishes on Friday evening, 27 June.

A first mailing containing a draft agenda, practical information and a registration form has already been sent to WRI affiliates and their representatives on the Council. A revised agenda will be circulated early in May. If your organisation is not a WRI affiliate, you are welcome to send an observer to our meeting.

Here is a quick overview of the programme to whet your appetite:

Reshaping WRI: In discussing goals in Liège last year, three central aspirations became clear:

• for WRI to have more of an international presence, more of a global reach.
• for WRI to project a fuller perspective, reflecting the breadth of nonviolence and including a feminist dimension
• for WRI to be more concerned about effectiveness, without compromising its nonviolence

All three aspirations have been present in WRI for at least 25 years, and have been reflected in WRI's programme in a variety of ways during that time. That they still remain central aspirations raises some basic issues about WRI's identity and strategies. These will be discussed in the framework of WRI's continuing Strategic Planning and the draft Statement of Principles.

Triennial 1998: We are giving ourselves the time to make a really good job of the 1998 Triennial, so that it will not only be a great event in its own right but will set a course for WRI into the next century. This depends on involvement and support throughout the organisation. It is vital to make effective use of the 1997 Council in preparing the Triennial.

Debates in France: France is one of the countries keenest to send in its forces in intervention, erecting racist immigration barriers, and considering a general social service as an alternative to military conscription. How are French nonviolent activists and pacifists handling these issues?

This Council meeting is 1fi days longer than last year. More space for debates and workshops. Please make suggestions of any topics you want to discuss, or send any proposals you would like to see adopted as soon as possible.

The registration deadline is 1 June. The registration fee is comprised between £120 and £180 for adults, depending on accommodation.